


Every Little Weakness

by ariminiria



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M, Or Is It?, Unhealthy Relationships, Unrequited Love, kind of villain reader, low key unhealthy relationship, villain reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:47:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25888333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariminiria/pseuds/ariminiria
Summary: A high ranking operative in the Network is arrested and brought in for questioning. What is so special about her?
Relationships: James Moriarty/Reader, James Moriarty/You, Jim Moriarty/Reader, Jim Moriarty/You, Moriarty/Reader, moriarty/you
Kudos: 47





	Every Little Weakness

The woman was infuriating. She sat there in the interrogation room, smirking. It had been hours, and she hadn’t broken a sweat or even smudged her makeup. Scotland Yard had arrested her in connection with Moriarty, the criminal mastermind, and of course, had brought Sherlock in on it. But he couldn’t read her clearly.

He could see that she was well dressed. Someone higher up in the chain of the Network. She wasn’t one to get her hands dirty. But she didn’t seem experienced, so how did she get to the top without proving herself?

Gears began to turn in his mind. The lavish things she wore… It didn’t seem like she was wearing them to show off her wealth or power. She was wearing them because someone had given them to her. She was showing off the fact that there was someone out there who put these things in her possession.

It was a message to the Network.

A message from Moriarty himself.

So she was his lover, then? Could James Moriarty even feel love?

Sherlock didn’t believe so. Obsession, or fascination, maybe. Passion was possible, but pushing the limits of credulity.

So he observed her. Talked to her. Watched as Lestrade questioned her.

But he couldn’t tell.

“What is it about you that makes you so special?”

Finally, he broke his silence to ask. He had to know.

_Why her, Moriarty?_

She paused for a moment, studying him in return. Though she was just an ordinary woman, not perceptive like himself or Mycroft or Moriarty, he felt more vulnerable than he ever had before under her gaze.

Then, suddenly, she laughed.

“Oh I see…” she nearly purred at him. It was far more distracting than The Woman’s flirting. “You think you’ve found some weakness of his, in me… Poor, _dear_ little Sherlock Holmes, always trying to be so clever. No, you won’t find any leverage against Moriarty by looking at me. He’s untouchable.”

“No one is untouchable,” Sherlock shot back. He would never admit it, but this woman, this _(Y/N) (L/N)_ was getting under his skin. “Everyone has a weakness.”

“Not James,” she replied smoothly.

Sherlock paused.

“James?”

Just like that, her cool expression twitched, slipping for one single second into what he thought might be sadness.

“You love him,” Sherlock realized. Then, he chuckled. “Oh Miss (L/N), you ought to know better… James Moriarty isn’t capable of _love_. He considers such things beneath him. Emotions are the weakness of ordinary people, Miss (L/N), and you are just another victim.”

“You don’t think I know that?” she snapped, her composure briefly cracking. She took a slow, deep breath, and the mask was back on. “I’m well aware of that, Mister Holmes. It’s just that I don’t care. Yes, I love him. Yet I also know that it will never be returned. I’ve made peace with that. Why do you think I’m sitting here in this room? I would do anything for him. Even though I know he’ll never even risk a single operation for me. I would die to protect him and his business.”

Sherlock had no reply for that.

It was odd. He almost pitied her. A quick signal to Lestrade, and two officers came in and escorted her out of the room to a cell that awaited.

“Poor thing,” Lestrade said. “Moriarty really did a number on her, eh?”

“He tends to have that effect,” Sherlock murmured.

“We’ll have her taken to maximum security tomorrow, just in case,” Lestrade continued. “Can’t be too careful when these Network people are involved…”

Sherlock merely nodded, deep in thought.

* * *

_Two Days Later_

Moriarty had come for the woman after all. How curious. Sherlock certainly didn’t understand.

It was most irregular… highly uncharacteristic of the consulting criminal.

* * *

In the back of the car, you casually touched up your makeup in the mirror.

“I’m surprised to see you, Garrity,” you remarked to the driver, a man by the name Chester Garrity who had been rigorously vetted before Moriarty entrusted him with your safety. “I didn’t think James would risk it…”

“Not much I can tell you, Miss,” he replied. “I just know I was ordered to come here with an extraction team. You know I’m not one to question what _he_ wants.”

The rest of the drive passed in silence. You stared out the window, deep in thought. Finally, you were pulled from your thoughts when Garrity came to a stop in front of the mansion. This was James’ place, in a remote location on the outskirts of a small city. This was where he was untouchable.

Garrity opened the car door for you, and you walked inside.

In the living room, you couldn’t help but notice there was a fire burning in the fireplace. Sitting there on the couch staring at the flames was the man himself.

“James?” you called softly.

He motioned you closer without glancing in your direction.

It was a bit odd, but you made your way over and sat down beside him, pressing close, just the way you knew he loved. There was a comfortable silence that lingered between the two of you for a moment. After a while though, you simply had to ask the burning question.

“Why did you come for me?”

“I didn’t, I was right here the whole time,” he replied, but his tone was terse, not quite casual.

“You know what I mean.”

Finally, looked at you.

“You could have left me there. You _should_ have let me rot in prison… But you risked exposing the Network to get me.”

“It seems I’ve shown my hand, hm?” he mused. “You’re quite right… about what I _should have_ done and all that.” His intense gaze seemed to burn through you. “But on this particular occasion, what I wanted wasn’t what was most logical.”

“What are you saying, James?” you murmured.

He brought a hand to cup your face, almost tenderly.

“I’m saying that dear Sherlock was wrong. And so were you. Your conversation at Scotland Yard…” Of course he had found a way to listen in. “The both of you think I don’t feel… that I can’t _love_.” He drew out the word ‘love’ in a sing-song tone, grinning. Then his expression turned serious again. “Sherlock was right about one thing, though. Everyone has a weakness. And it just so happens… you’re mine.”

His gaze was smouldering.

“I would tear down the entire Network for you, my dear. I would risk so much more than one operation. And don’t ever forget that.”

“I won’t,” you whispered breathlessly.

There was so much more to James Moriarty than even you had realized.

And maybe, just maybe… there could be more of a future with him than you had ever imagined.


End file.
